AIR GUIDE DEVICE

Description

Technical area

[0001] The invention relates to an air guiding device according to the preamble of claim 1. State of the art

[0002] Such air ducting devices are typically used to regulate air intake into vehicle front ends. The air intake is controlled using louvre-like closure elements. These air regulating louvers can usually be adjusted via an electric drive.

[0003] FR 3 051 735 A1, DE 10 2014 106605 A1, DE 103 06 158 A1 and EP 0 500 430 A1 describe air guiding devices according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0004] Both the drive and the air control louvers must be appropriately mounted within the air ducting system. State-of-the-art technology involves providing a special bearing frame, which must then be positioned between an air inlet section, through which the air from outside enters the air ducting system, and an air duct. Often, appropriate seals must also be inserted between the bearing frame and the air duct or air inlet section in a sandwich construction. The bearing frame houses the pivot bearings for the air control louvers and a mounting option for a drive.

[0005] This sandwich construction means that a whole series of components must be assembled before the air duct system is ready for operation. Naturally, the more parts used, the higher the costs associated with manufacturing such components. The invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to further develop an air guiding device of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that the assembly effort is reduced compared to conventional solutions.

[0007] This object is achieved by an air guiding device having the features of claim 1. Further advantageous embodiments can be found in the subclaims.

[0008] The air guiding device according to the invention, which is particularly suitable for use in regulating the air intake in vehicle front ends, has an air intake part through which air can enter the air guiding device. Furthermore, the air intake device has an air guiding channel arranged downstream of the air intake part and connected thereto. The air entering through the air intake part can be guided through this air guiding channel. The air guiding device has at least one air regulating louvre pivotally mounted on the air guiding device on a pivot bearing. This louvre is designed and arranged such that it can influence the air flow entering through the air intake part by changing its pivot position.According to the invention, the pivot bearing for the at least one air regulating louver is formed by a first bearing section, which is part of the air inlet part, and a second bearing section, which is part of the air duct. The pivot bearing is thus only created when the components of the air ducting device—namely, the air inlet part, air duct, and air regulating louver—are assembled. In this way, the otherwise conventional bearing frame can be eliminated without replacement. Consequently, the number of required components is reduced with the inventive solution, thus lowering costs. Furthermore, installation space can be saved, of course, since one component is eliminated without replacement.

[0009] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a fastening element, in particular a fastening flange, is arranged in the area, in particular on the end face of the air inlet part facing the air duct and / or on the area, in particular on the end face of the air duct facing the air inlet part. Such a fastening element can, for example, serve to fasten both parts, the air duct on the one hand and the air inlet part on the other hand, to one another. With a corresponding design with a clip function, this can also be done without tools. This further simplifies assembly, since additional fastening elements are not required. With the preferred design of the components made of plastic or the like, such a fastening element, in particular a fastening flange, can be molded onto the respective parts.

[0010] The same applies to sealing elements, which serve to form the connection between the air inlet part and the air duct as tightly as possible so that no air can escape at the connection point. Consequently, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a sealing element, in particular a circumferential one, is arranged in the area, in particular on the end face of the air inlet part facing the air duct and / or in the area, in particular on the end face of the air duct facing the air inlet part.

[0011] Preferably, as few components as possible should be used in order to keep assembly work to a minimum. For this purpose, it can be provided, for example, that the first bearing section is formed in one piece with the air inlet part. Likewise, it can be provided, alternatively or additionally, that the second bearing section is formed in one piece with the air duct. Depending on the material used, the one-piece design can also be achieved by molding corresponding bearing sections onto the respective component or by injection molding. It is therefore not absolutely necessary for the bearing section to be made of the same material as the component on which it is arranged. This primarily makes it possible to use materials that are particularly well suited to forming pivot bearings for air regulation slats, while the remaining material of the respective component, air inlet part orAir duct can then be designed in such a way that it is particularly suitable for the transport of air.

[0012] According to the invention, the air regulation by the at least one air regulation slat should be automated. For this purpose, the air guiding device according to the invention comprises a drive coupled to at least one air regulation slat, which pivots the at least one air regulation slat when activated. This drive, which can be an electrically operated actuator, for example, can then be activated by the vehicle's control system. This makes it possible for the driver to change the position of the air regulation slat(s) automatically or intentionally.

[0013] According to the invention, the air inlet part has a first drive holding section, and the air guide duct has a second drive holding section. With such a configuration, the drive is then accommodated between the first drive holding section and the second drive holding section. This significantly simplifies assembly, as separate brackets are not required, and the drive can be easily mounted during assembly of the air guide device.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment, the drive is fixed to the air inlet part and / or the air duct. This, in turn, saves installation space and eliminates the need for a separate mount for the drive, which in turn reduces the number of required components. Way to implement the invention

[0015] The invention is described below with reference to the Figures 1 to 5 illustrated embodiment is explained in more detail. Figure 1shows a perspective view of an air guiding device according to the invention. Figure 2 shows a further perspective view of the air guiding device according to the invention in an exploded view. Figure 3 shows a longitudinal section through the air guiding device according to the invention in the plane B in Figure 1 . Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section through the air guiding device according to the invention in the plane A in Figure 1 . Figure 5 shows a further longitudinal section of the air guiding device according to the invention in plane B in an enlarged view.

[0016] In Figure 1 The air guiding device according to the invention is designated by the reference numeral 1. Since this is a component that can be used in particular in vehicle front ends, the direction of travel of such a vehicle is designated by X, the vertical direction by Z, and the transverse direction perpendicular to X and Z by Y.

[0017] The air guiding device 1 according to the invention has an air inlet part 2 through which the air 4 enters the air guiding device 1. After entering, it passes through an arrangement comprising at least one air regulating slat 5. The air guide is particularly indicated by the arrows in the section in plane B ( Figure 1 ) in Figure 3 to recognize. In Figure 2 In the example shown, four air regulating slats 5 are shown as an example, but more or fewer such slats can also be present. Preferably, a drive 6 is also provided, which ensures that the air regulating slats 5 can be interlaced. Preferably, the pivot axis of the air regulating slat 5 runs parallel to the transverse axis Y. The air 4, which has passed through the air regulating slats 5, enters the air duct 3 and from there into the interior of the vehicle.

[0018] In the Figure 2In the exploded view shown, it can be seen that the drive 6 is held by two drive holding sections 2b and 3b, with a first drive holding section 2b being arranged on the air inlet part 2 and a second drive holding section 3b being arranged on the air duct 3. These drive holding sections 2b and 3b are preferably formed integrally with the components 2 and 3.

[0019] Furthermore, the components 2 and 3 can have flanges on their outer edges, as indicated here, which enable an assembly of the two components 2 and 3 - preferably without tools - by mutual contact of their end faces facing each other and having the flanges.

[0020] If the two components 2 and 3 are connected to each other, the drive 6 is simultaneously received and fixed between the sections 2b and 3b, this state is particularly evident in the section in plane A ( Figure 1 ) in Figure 4 to recognize.

[0021] Furthermore, the air regulation slat(s) 5 is / are pivotably mounted on the air guiding device 1 via pivot bearing pins. For this purpose, as shown in Figure 5 As shown, the air inlet part 2 has a corresponding first bearing section 2a, and the air duct 3 has a corresponding second bearing section 3c. The two bearing sections 2a and 3c together form the respective pivot bearing, in which the pivot bearing pins 7 of the slats 5 are received. The section 2a simultaneously serves as a contact flange for the section 3a of the air duct 3, which acts as a contact flange. These contact flanges 2a and 3a can also have a seal between them or be designed to be self-sealing.

[0022] For example, a corresponding sealing lip can be attached or molded onto components 2 and 3. The air guiding device 1 described above thus makes it possible to implement a corresponding air guide with air regulation slats 5 in a very component-efficient manner.

Claims

1. Airflow device (1), in particular for regulating the air inlet (4) into vehicle front ends, comprising an air inlet part (2) through which air can enter into the airflow device (1), as well as an airflow duct (3) which is arranged downstream of the air inlet part (2) and in communication therewith through which the air entering through the air inlet part (2) can be guided, wherein the airflow device (1) comprises at least one air regulating slat (5) which is pivotably mounted on a pivot bearing (3c, 2a) on the airflow device (1) and which is oriented and arranged in such a way that by changing its pivotal position it can influence the air stream entering through the air inlet part (2), wherein the pivot bearing (3c, 2a) for the at least one air regulating slat (5) is formed by a first bearing portion (2a) which is part of the air inlet part (2), and a second bearing portion (3c) which is part of the air flow duct (3), wherein the airflow device (1) comprises a drive (6) which is coupled to at least one air regulating slat (5) and which in the operational state pivots the at least one air regulating slat (5), characterised in that the air inlet part (2) has a first drive holding portion (2b) and the airflow duct (3) has a second drive holding portion (3b), wherein the drive (6) is housed between the first drive holding portion (2b) and the second drive holding portion (3b).

2. Airflow device (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that a fastening element, in particular a fastening flange, is arranged in the region of, in particular on, the end side of the air inlet part (2) facing the airflow duct, and / or in the region of, in particular on, the end side of the airflow duct (3) facing the air inlet part (2).

3. Airflow device (1) according to Claim 1 or 2 characterised in that a, in particular circumferential, sealing element is arranged in the region of, in particular on, the end side of the air inlet part (2) facing the airflow duct, and / or in the region of, in particular on, the end side of the airflow duct (3) facing the air inlet part (2).

4. Airflow device (1) according to one of the preceding claims characterised in that the first bearing portion (2a) is formed integral with the air inlet part (2).

5. Airflow device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the second bearing portion (3c) is formed integral with the airflow duct (2).

6. Airflow device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the drive (6) is fixed on the air inlet part (2) and / or on the airflow duct (3).